As The World Falls Down
by Sarmoti
Summary: Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but what will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is? Lucius/Hermione
1. One

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 1 (Prologue) - One**

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_I Can't Remember Anything  
Can't Tell If this Is True or Dream  
Deep down Inside I Feel to Scream  
this Terrible Silence Stops Me  
Now That the War Is Through with Me  
I'm Waking up I Can Not See  
That There Is Not Much Left of Me  
Nothing Is Real but Pain Now_

One by Metallica

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The night was exceedingly dark, no stars lit up the sky. The moon was hidden by dark storm clouds that had blown in earlier. Somewhere in the distance, a lone wolf howled, sending a small shiver down Lucius' back.

"It's going to rain." Severus Snape remarked from beside Lucius.

"So it is." Lucius replied, his voice cold and withdrawn.

"I saw what happened, I will explain it. You have nothing to fear old friend." Severus said, a reassuring note in his voice.

Lucius turned to his friend then. "You are my oldest and dearest friend Severus, I hope that you speak the truth now."

"It burns hotter, we should go." Severus said.

Lucius squared his shoulders. "After you." He replied, touching the mark on his arm.

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"How did Potter manage to escape again?" Lord Voldemort asked, his voice low and slippery. "It was a simple assignment Lucius."

Lucius dropped to his knees in front of the dark lord. "My lord, I have failed you. Potter wasn't alone. The mudblood bitch and Arthur Weasley's children were with him. I attempted to fight, but had to abort the mission."

Somewhere off to the side, a female laughed. Lucius was stunned to recognize the laugh as his wife's. He kept his face straight, careful not to show any emotion.

"You couldn't take on four teenagers Lucius?" his wife sneered.

"I risked exposure to free you from Azkaban Lucius. You were supposed to be my most faithful servant." Voldemort hissed.

"I will not fail you again my lord." Lucius mumbled.

"How can I be sure of that? You couldn't handle the simple task I gave you tonight." Voldemort snapped. "I had to send Severus in just to get you out."

"Please, my lord." Lucius said, trying to keep his tone calm. "They were tipped off, they knew I was coming. Severus saw it all, they were waiting on the attack."

Lord Voldemort turned to Snape. "Is this true Severus? Did Lucius have no choice but to abort the mission?"

Lucius looked up at his friend in time to see the man sneer. "There was only four teenagers there my lord." Snape explained. "They were partying and drinking, I wonder how hard it could have been to take them out."

Lucius felt his jaw drop. Severus was boldly lying to the dark lord, and it was only going to hurt Lucius.

Earlier that night, he had been summoned to Voldemort. Potter and his friends would be attending a party and The Three Broomsticks that night for a friend's birthday. Lucius was to wait until the crowd died out, and he was to go in and take Potter.

It had been simple enough, or it would have been. Somehow, they knew he was coming. When Lucius had entered the pub, Potter and his friends, along with Mad Eye and the werewolf had been waiting for him.

Severus had showed up, but had no more luck stopping them. Since the murder of Dumbledore, they had all grown stronger, and angrier. Severus had run along with Lucius.

"That is a lie!" Lucius cried out. "You were there Severus, you know what happened!"

"Silence!" Voldemort cried. "Did he fail his mission Severus? Or was it an impossible task?"

Severus looked down at Lucius with cold eyes. "He failed it my lord. He has grown weak since his imprisonment. He is of no use to us now."

"Thank you for your honesty Severus. As always, your loyalty has been noted and is greatly appreciated." Voldemort hissed.

Severus bowed to the dark lord, before stepping back and taking his place beside Narcissa.

"Now, what do I do with you Lucius? You were once my faithful servant, but now you are weak. I have no room for weakness." Voldemort said, an evil smirk on his face.

"My lord.. I beg you.." Lucius mumbled, panic welling up.

"CRUCIO!" Lord Voldemort screamed.

Lucius felt himself burning from the inside, the pain screaming through his legs, his arms and his eyes.

He heard the familiar female laugh again, and then he heard no more.

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"What do we do with him?"

"We were told to dump him behind The Three Broomsticks."

"I think he is still breathing."

"Don't be ridiculous, he couldn't be alive after the torture they put him through."

"Just hurry up. Let's go."

"You aren't holding your end up. He is heavy, you need to help."

"Come on!"

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The lights burned his face. It was hot, and he could feel the sweat trickling across his forehead.

He tried to open his eyes. They felt heavy, swollen. When he finally opened them, the sun blinded him momentarily.

He looked around. He was behind a building, laying on something hard. Looking down, he realized he was lying on the ground.

He tried to stand up, but his legs wouldn't work. They felt like jelly and he found he was trembling.

Still sweating, he grabbed the side of the building, pulling himself up inch by inch. When he could finally stand, he felt the full force of his pain coursing through his entire body. What had happened to him?

Pulling himself step by step, he stopped in front of a window. Looking at his reflection in the window, he saw the long white blonde hair, the pale face, and the good-looking yet aristocratic features.

The man saw all of this, yet he had no idea who he was.

Reviews :o)


	2. Strangers When We Meet

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 2 – Strangers When We Meet**

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_Steely resolve  
Is falling from me  
My poor soul  
All bruised passivity  
All your regrets  
Ride rough-shod over me  
I'm so glad  
That we're strangers when we meet  
I'm so thankful  
That we're strangers when we meet_

Strangers When We Meet by David Bowie

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Hermione turned her face up to the sun, enjoying the burning heat on her skin. There had been so many days of rain lately that the sun was becoming a rarity. She slowed her pace down as she walked.

Reaching into her pocket, Hermione pulled out her neatly arranged list of supplies she had to purchase today. Stuck to the back of it was Harry's sloppy list. She smiled as she tried to read his scratchy writing.

She winced suddenly as the pain in her arm flared up again. She had been hit last night during the duel at the Three Broomsticks, and Poppy had done the best she could to heal her arm. It couldn't be completely healed, because nobody was sure what curse Lucius Malfoy had used on her.

She tucked the list back in her pocket and rubbed her arm, trying to work the pain out. She thought about going back and letting Ginny do the shopping, but she was enjoying be alone for awhile.

Hermione, Ron, and Harry had been sharing a flat since they graduated Hogwarts last month. It had by far been their hardest year at Hogwarts, without Dumbledore there. Many of the teachers hadn't returned, and those who did seemed different. The laughter, smiles, and fun had died along with Dumbledore.

Harry hadn't planned on returning for their final year, but decided to do so after Remus and Molly had talked to him and convinced him to finish school so he could become an Auror. Now that they were out of school, the three of them, especially Harry, had worked nonstop to find Voldemort and Snape.

Hermione sighed and noticed a bench in front of the Three Broomsticks. She sat down, holding her arm to her chest. She looked around to see if there was any evidence of their battle last night.

It was Dean Thomas' birthday yesterday. They had all planned on attending his party at The Three Broomsticks. It would be one more chance to catch up with Neville, Seamus, and their other friends before everything changed.

Hermione still didn't know who had tipped them off. Harry had received a note attached to an unknown owl yesterday morning, advising them that Lucius Malfoy would be attacking the party on orders from Voldemort. They had taken the warning seriously, and Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody had attended the party.

Hermione had got caught up in the party, and when she noticed it was almost ten o'clock, she began to wonder if the warning hadn't been a practical joke. She could tell Ron and Harry were beginning to wonder the same thing.

It wasn't until almost everyone had left that the attack came. But they were ready, and Lucius Malfoy couldn't fight that many of them at once. He had gotten a few good shots off, including the curse that hit her arm.

They were shocked when Snape had entered, helping Lucius escape. Harry chased after him, but lost them in the storm. When he came back, the anger and failure was bright in his eyes.

Sighing now, Hermione closed her eyes. It had been a long night, and one she wouldn't soon forget. They now had the daunting task of finding out who had tipped them off. The only thing they had to go on was the note. The script was flowery, and the parchment smelled of light perfume, leaving Hermione to believe a woman had sent the warning.

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The man panicked. He quickly ran his hands up his face, feeling his nose, his chin, and his lips. He felt his hair, it was tangled and covered in mud and dried blood. Again he wondered what had happened to him.

Looking down, he saw his clothes were also covered in dried blood. His hands were muddy, his skin torn at the knuckles.

He looked around him on the ground, but there were no clues as to who he was, or why he was in the middle of an alley.

Ignoring the throbbing in his chest, legs and arms, he stepped towards the cobbled street. Maybe someone would be there, someone who could help him.

There was a woman sitting on a bench, she had her back to him, and hadn't noticed him yet. He staggered towards her, his legs feeling weaker as he went. "Help!" he choked out, before his legs gave out completely and he fell to the ground.

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Hermione spun around in her seat, sending brown curls flying behind her. Her mouth dropped and her hand went for her wand as she watched Lucius Malfoy fall to the ground behind her.

His hair was tangled, and he was covered in blood. There was an expression of complete helplessness on his face, and it made her falter for a moment as she raised her wand.

"Stay away from me." She said sternly.

Lucius raised his empty hands up. "Please. I won't hurt you. I need help." He said, his voice weak.

"I'm warning you. Stay where you are. Don't come near me." She repeated.

"Please. I won't hurt you." He repeated, staying on the ground.

Hermione noticed his voice seemed uncertain. "Shut up." She snapped. What was he playing at? "The Aurors will be here any minute. Just stay where you are."

"Auror?" he spoke. "I'm sorry if I scared you Miss, I didn't mean to. I need help."

Hermione felt her hand falter again. Lucius Malfoy called her Miss? Something wasn't right. She had to send her Patronus to Harry because she needed help. "I am going to lower my wand for only a moment, if you move, I will kill you." She stated, her voice clear.

"Please, I just needed your help. I don't know where I am. I just woke up back there." He pointed to the alley he had just come from.

"Likely story Malfoy. I mean it, don't move." Hermione snapped, tired of his little game now.

"Malfoy? Is that my name?" he asked, looking at her with blazing honesty.

"What?" she said.

"You called me Malfoy, is that my name?" he asked eagerly. "Do you know me?"

Hermione studied the man for a moment. He was in awful shape, his clothing torn and covered in blood. He hadn't moved since she had pointed her wand at him. The expression on his face, and the confusion in his voice seemed real.

"You don't know your name?" She asked, uncertain.

"I just woke up back there. I don't know who I am. I only wanted help, I didn't mean to scare you." Lucius said, his voice gentle.

Hermione knew that acting or not, Lucius Malfoy would never speak to her with a gentle voice. He wouldn't be able to hide his sneer. He must be telling the truth.

"Lucius Malfoy. Your name is Lucius Malfoy." She stated, careful to keep her wand up.

"Lucius Malfoy." He mumbled to himself. "That doesn't mean anything to me. I don't remember anything."

"I am going to lower my wand, can I trust you to stay where you are?" she asked.

"I promise, I won't move." He said. "I don't think I could even if I wanted to. My legs, something happened to them."

She lowered her wand, conjuring her Patronus. She whispered a message to the large dog, which bounded off.

"Can you stand up?" she asked, tapping her wand against her leg. Lucius Malfoy terrified her, and she couldn't guarantee that this wasn't a trick, although she didn't believe it was.

"I.. I don't think so. I can't feel my legs." He said.

Hermione bit her lip for a moment, before tucking her wand in her back pocket. "Let me help you up. You can sit on that bench."

Lucius took her offered hands, pulling himself up using her as a brace. She helped him over to the bench, where he sat down.

"Thank you." He said, smiling at her.

Hermione knew her mouth was hanging open. Lucius Malfoy saying thank you?

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." She replied. She pulled her wand back out. "I am going to check your legs, maybe I can find out what is wrong."

"What's your name?" he asked as she began to wave her wand over his legs.

"I'm sorry?" she said, blowing a stray curl out of her face as she looked up at him.

"Your name. I don't know who you are." He repeated.

"Hermione." She said.

"Hermione. That is a different name." He said.

"You were hit with the Cruciatus curse multiple times." She explained.

"Cruciatus?" Lucius said. "That sounds familiar."

"It is a unforgivable curse, a form of torture." She explained. She looked up at him, wondering what had happened.

Hermione began to put the pieces together. Lucius had been attacked and tortured, probably by Voldemort. He had been left behind the Three Broomsticks, probably to die. Instead he had survived, but lost his memory.

"Hermione! Are you okay!" Harry cried, running up to her, wand out. He noticed Lucius Malfoy, and spun on him, wand up. "Cr…"

"NO!" Hermione yelled, jumping in front of Lucius before Harry could finish.

"What are you doing?" Harry cried out.

"He lost his memory Harry. He doesn't know who he is!" she explained quickly.

"How can you be sure this isn't a trap?" Harry demanded.

"I don't know for sure. He touched me, and he is talking to me pleasantly. I don't think he is lying Harry." She explained.

Harry studied the blonde wizard, who was holding his leg, and staring at the two of them.

"What is wrong with him?" Harry asked.

"I did a spell, he has been hit with the Cruciatus Curse numerous times. I think he was left to die out here, but lost his memory instead." Hermione said.

"We aren't going to help him Hermione. Did you forget who this man is? He is evil. Did you forget what he has done to you? We've got him trapped and defenseless, we need to return him to Azkaban now." Harry turned to Lucius. "Or maybe I will finish what Voldemort started. You would deserve it."

"Harry, wait!" Hermione cried, grabbing his arm. "This man may be Lucius Malfoy, but he has no idea what we are talking about. Harry, I hate him as much as you do, but think about it. He doesn't know who he is."

"What did I do?" Lucius asked from the bench.

Harry looked at him, startled. "You…"

"No!" Hermione snapped. "Not now Harry. He needs help. You can help me or you can leave, and I'll take care of him myself."

"Why would you help him Hermione? You of all people should want him dead!" Harry cried out.

"I am helping him because…" She pointed at Lucius. "This Lucius Malfoy is innocent. He doesn't even know his own name. Besides Harry, he is still one of the most powerful wizards of all time, we could use someone like him on our side."

"Do you think he won't ever regain his memory?" Harry asked, shaking his head. "He will, and he won't care that you took care of him, he'll kill you in a heartbeat."

Lucius was still listening to them. "Why are you talking about me as if I was evil?"

"BECAUSE YOU…." Harry started.

"STOP IT!" Hermione interrupted him. "I said not now Harry! Just help me get him back to the flat, I need to try and heal his legs."

Harry looked into his best friends eyes. "You are dead set on helping him, aren't you?"

"Yes." Hermione replied. "Think about what this could do for the Order."

"Fine." Harry said, sighing. "Let's get him back to the flat then."

Hermione smiled warmly at Harry as they both lifted Lucius up, supporting him between them.

"Where are we going?" Lucius asked.

"Where I can help you." Hermione replied, as Harry apparated them out of the street.


	3. Echoes

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 3 - Echoes**

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_And I am you and what I see is me  
And do I take you by the hand  
And lead you through the land  
And help me understand the best I can  
And no one calls us to move on  
And no one forces down our eyes  
And no one speaks  
And no one tries_

Echoes by Pink Floyd

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"Are you okay?" Hermione asked the older man, helping him sit down on the small couch as soon as they apparated into the room.

Lucius winced, his hands wrapped around his leg quickly. He was trying to catch his breath, but his lungs felt full and heavy. "I don't know. It hurts, yet I can't feel my legs. Does that make any since?"

Hermione nodded. "Surprisingly, it does. That is a side effect of the Cruciatus curse."

"Hermione, I'm going to go get Remus." Harry said from the other side of the couch.

Hermione looked up. "Right now?" she asked, her brow furrowed. She didn't notice the blue color staining Malfoy's lips.

"Yes." Harry replied, his teeth clinched. "Right now."

"Harry, I know what I am doing." Hermione replied, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him into the small bathroom off of the living area. She quickly shut the door.

"You are helping a known murder, and rapist. Or did you forget about that?" Harry snapped.

Hermione paled under the harsh bathroom light, and Harry instantly felt ashamed.

"Of course I haven't forgot that Harry. I will never forget it, as long as I live." she snapped, her voice breaking. "But the fact remains that we have one of the strongest Death Eaters in our living room with no memory of who he is. If we can heal his body and use him to the Orders advantage, then it's something we should try."

Harry shook his head. "I don't understand you…"

"No, I don't understand you. Why do you hold so much hatred inside Harry?" she asked, her voice gentle now. "Why can't you see past your anger and hatred towards Lucius Malfoy to see what a chance this is for us? I am the one who has the right to hate him most of all, and I if can see past the anger, than you should have no problem."

Harry sighed. "I'm still going to get Remus."

"Fine. He needs to know what is going on anyways. I'm going to go try and heal Malfoy's legs." Hermione said, reaching for the door handle.

"You need to come with me." Harry said.

She turned. "I'm not going with you. You can go get Remus, and I'll wait here and heal Malfoy."

"I'm not leaving you alone with him Hermione." Harry growled.

"He can't do nothing to me Harry. He doesn't even remember anything. I'll be okay." Hermione insisted, opening the door.

Her eyes widened as she looked over to the couch. Lucius had slumped over, passed out. Sweat was rolling down his pale and bloody face. His breathing was labored, his chest heaving with the effort to take in air.

"Oh no!" she cried, clutching her wand. Lucius Malfoy or not, she couldn't let someone die in front of her. "I shouldn't have left him alone."

Harry stood in the doorway, watching his friend run to heal the man who had ruined her life in more than one way. Shaking his head, he quickly called for Hedwig. Maybe Remus could talk some since into Hermione.

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"Hedwig! Come down here!" Remus called cheerfully as the owl flew in circles around the Burrow. Hooting, the bird slowly circled down, holding her leg out.

"From Harry?" Ron Weasley asked, slumping back down in his chair and petting the owl. She must have flown fast, her body was covered in sweat and she was trembling.

"Yes." Remus replied, unfolding the letter.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. He wants me to go to your flat immediately." Remus replied, feeding Hedwig a crumb of bread.

"I was on my way home anyways. Let's go." Ron said.

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"Come on." Hermione muttered, waving her wand over Lucius. "Wake up please."

Harry stood against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. He was torn between satisfaction that Lucius Malfoy was in this state, and a nagging guilt and sorrow because Hermione was clearly upset.

"Shit." she said, her eyes blurring with unshed tears of frustration. "There has to be something I can do, something I am not thinking of."

"WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?" Ron yelled out, appearing beside Harry with a loud crack.

"Hermione picked him up in the park." Harry replied, his voice cold.

"SHE WHAT?" Ron cried out, just as Remus appeared on the other side of Harry.

"Harry, what is going….." he trailed off as he noticed Hermione franticly waving her wand over Lucius Malfoy.

"Hermione thinks he lost his memory. He was hit with the Cruciatus curse, and there is something wrong with him. She insisted we bring him home with us. She thinks it will help the Order." Harry said.

"Malfoy lost his memory?" Ron repeated, his voice clearly showing his amazement and confusion.

"Hermione believes him. I'm not so sure." Harry said.

Remus left the two younger men and walked over to Hermione, resting his hand on her lower back. With his other hand, he reached up and covered her hand that was clutching her wand. He lowered it gently to her side. "There is only so much you can do Hermione."

She looked down, and only then noticed Malfoy was not breathing. Tears were trickling down her cheeks. "I hate him as much as Harry does. I hate him more than anyone else. But I can't let anyone die in front of me without trying." she explained.

"I know it's hard to see anyone die, but you did all you could Hermione." Remus said gently.

"I could try more spells. There has to be something else Remus, help me." she begged.

Sighing, Remus removed his hand from hers, leaving his other hand on her back. "What have you tried?"

"I tried all the healing spells I could think of. I don't know what else to do. I even tried Notinos." she said. "It's the strongest healing spell I know, and it didn't work."

Remus reached into his pocket with his free hand, grabbing his wand. "Let's try again. Maybe if we both try Notinos it will be strong enough."

Harry's mouth fell open as he watched Remus help Hermione in trying to save Lucius Malfoy. He had hoped Remus would be the voice of reason Hermione would listen to.

Hermione's hand trembled as she raised her wand up again. "Notinos!" she cried out with Remus.

Lucius twitched. Just a small shake, but his body moved. "It worked!" she cried, moving away from Remus at once to cast the spell over Lucius' lungs and then heart and legs.

"Wha….." Lucius mumbled, trying to wake up.

"Sshhh… Just sit still till I am done." Hermione said gently. "Thank you." she whispered, looking up at Remus.

"What are you doing?" Harry snapped at the werewolf, walking towards the couch.

"She is right Harry. Having a wizard with the kind of power Lucius Malfoy has on our side is a good idea." Remus explained.

"But what happens when he gets his memory back?" Harry snapped.

"Maybe he won't mate." Ron spoke up from the back of the room.

"Not you to!" Harry cried, spinning around on his friend. "Have you all gone mad? Don't you know who this is?"

"Yes Harry. But think about this. If he doesn't get his memory back, we can have full access to his home, all the secrets hidden within it. We can have access to his magic, and his books and charms." Remus explained.

"Are you okay?" Hermione was asking Malfoy behind them.

He opened his eyes slowly. "What happened?" he croaked out.

"The curse had overtaken your heart. I think we healed it all now." Hermione explained gently.

"She saved your life Malfoy, Merlin knows you didn't deserve it." Harry snapped, spinning on his heals and stomping out of the flat.

Ron looked over at Hermione. "I'll go talk to him. I think he sees where this could benefit us, he is just hanging on to his anger." Ron looked over to Remus. "Stay here with her, I don't want her alone with him."

Remus nodded as Ron left the flat also.

"Thanks you Remus." Hermione said, sitting down across from Lucius.

"I think you are doing the right thing Hermione, I really do. But I want you to be careful. You know what kind of monster this man is." Remus said.

"Monster?" Lucius said, his voice still weak from the couch. "What are you guys all talking about? What was that mans problem with me? Who am I? Why do you all act afraid of me? And why does everyone in this room seem to hate me?"

Hermione looked over at Remus, her eyes full of uncertainty. Remus shrugged. He wasn't sure what to say either.

Before Hermione could try to answer any of his questions, Lucius spoke again. "How old am I? Do I have a family? Kids? A Wife? This is so damn frustrating. I don't know anything."

"Calm down. You heart and body both are still weak. You need to take an easy. I'll answer all your questions, I promise. Right now you need to sleep." Hermione said gently, standing up and walking to the couch. "Can you stand?"

Lucius sighed. "I think. But don't think you are going to get away with pushing my questions aside. I want to know everything." He said, pushing himself off the couch.

Standing on his newly healed legs, Lucius swayed, instinctively, he reached out to grab Hermione for support. He was surprised when she flinched, a look of pure terror on her face.

He dropped his hand back to his side, trying to balance himself. "I'm sorry. I thought I was going to fall."

She shook her head, her cheeks burning pink. "No, I'm sorry. Of course you need help. I just… I forgot for a moment."

"Forgot what?" Lucius asked as she took his arm over her shoulder.

"It's nothing. Remus?" she said.

Remus quickly took Lucius' other arm, and they balanced him between the two of them as they walked back to her room.

"He can sleep in here. We don't have a guest room. It's a little girly, but it will do." She said, reaching over to open her bedroom door.

They got Lucius on the bed, and Hermione conjured up some blankets. "Are you okay?" she asked. "Warm enough?"

"I'm fine." he muttered, sleep already finding his body. "Thank you."

"Your welcome." she replied gently, closing the bedroom door.

Remus was standing out in the hallway, and she gladly welcomed his embrace. "Are you okay?" he muttered.

"Yes. No. I don't know. It's so confusing. It's him, but it's not. When I see him, it reminds me of everything, and yet he didn't do any of it." She said, trying to put words to her confusion. How can you hate someone so much? And yet not hate them at all? And how can you feel such revulsion and sorrow for one person?

Remus led her down the hallway and back to the kitchen. "I'll make some tea." he said, "You rest for a moment. How is your arm?"

She rubbed her arm absently. "It's fine. I forgot about it actually."

"So what do we do with him?" Remus said, setting a warm cup of tea in front of her, and pulling his own chair out.

"I just don't know…" Hermione mumbled into her cup.

Reviews!

And to answer a question some of you might be asking, no Hermione is not seeing Remus. They are just good friends.


	4. Going Left

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 4 – Going Left**

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_There's a train people say  
I could ride to get my whole life straight  
But the bridge on the way  
Has a toll too much for me to pay  
Yes I know it must be  
What I chose could mean my destiny  
Lights are green all is go  
But my heart keeps telling my mind no_

Going Left by Eric Clapton

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"What is it?" Severus Snape asked, sitting up in bed. "Why are you awake?"

"I had another nightmare." The blonde witch beside him said, her body still trembling.

Severus reached out to her gently, laying his hand on her arm. "He is gone Narcissa."

"I know that. And I know we did the right thing, but it still haunts me Severus. I fed my own husband to the dark lord. How can you expect me to feel no guilt?" Narcissa Malfoy asked, tears clouding her blue eyes.

Severus sighed, wiping a stray tear off of her cheek. "I don't expect you to feel no guilt. I just hope you understand why we did what we did. It was for the greater good. It was for Draco."

Narcissa turned into his embrace, burying her head in his warm chest. "I am so sorry Severus. I don't know why I can't keep it together."

He held her, rocking her as she cried. Severus Snape wondered what his students would think if they saw him holding a crying woman. 'Former students' he thought to himself. Now he was on the run from Hogwarts and the Order. All because of Albus Dumbledore. That awful, stupid man had put him in a position Severus had never wanted to be in.

"Narcissa, I carry that guilt also." Severus whispered to the women he held.

She sniffled, looking up at him. "Albus."

Severus nodded, the pain in his eyes shined clearly. "Yes, Albus. I also feel guilt. Every moment I am awake I see him pleading with me in my mind, his begging me to kill him, telling me it was for the greater good. Every time I close my eyes I see him falling, knowing I caused it. I know how you feel Narcissa. Sometimes we have to hurt the ones we love the most for the greater good." A trace of bitterness was in his voice.

"I am sorry. I cry because the husband I never loved is dead, and yet the only man you saw as a father is dead at your hand, and nobody knows why." Narcissa whispered into his chest.

"It doesn't matter right now. They will understand soon enough. For now I have you, and after eighteen years of waiting that is enough." Severus replied.

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"What time is it?" Hermione asked, sitting up on the couch and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"It's almost four." Remus Lupin replied, letting go of her shoulder.

"In the afternoon?" She cried, jumping up in alarm.

"No, it's four in the morning." Remus replied calmly.

Hermione paused. "Then why in Merlin's name are you waking me up?" she demanded.

"I know you needed your sleep, but your guest is awake." Remus replied, wiping the sleep from his own eyes.

Hermione sat back down, running a hand through her smooth curls. "Did Ron and Harry come back?"

"No, not long after I carried you to the couch Hedwig dropped a note saying they were staying at the Burrow tonight. Harry asked me stay with you, so I crashed in Ron's room. I heard Lucius moving about a little bit ago."

"What am I going to tell him when he starts asking me questions again?"

"I don't know Hermione." Remus replied honestly.

Her eyes clouded up with unshed tears. "Professor Dumbledore would have known exactly what to do. I feel lost sometimes without him."

Remus sat down next to her. "I miss him as much as you do, and I feel the loss of his guiding hand, but we will do this without him Hermione. He taught us all well, and we will somehow figure this out."

Hermione leaned into his welcoming embrace, nuzzling her face into his neck. The gentle beating of his heart calmed her nerves. "I don't know what I would do without you sometimes."

"Should I come back later?" A silky voice asked from the doorway to the living room.

Hermione jumped from Remus quickly. "You are awake." She declared, looking over at the tall wizard.

Lucius nodded. "I am. I wonder if I may take a shower."

"Of course. I will get you some spare supplies. Then you need to eat. Are you hungry?" she asked.

Lucius seemed to consider this for a moment. "Yes. I am." He replied.

"Okay." She said, opening the spare closet door. "Here's some soap and shampoo. There are extra towels in the bathroom already. I'll make you some breakfast."

"And coffee?" he suggested with a smile. "I think I like coffee."

"Coffee it is." She replied, not returning his smile.

Lucius frowned as she quickly exited the room. He looked back over to the man she had been embracing moments ago. The tall, sandy haired man nodded to Lucius.

Lucius returned the nod before making his way back to the small bathroom. He dropped the soap and shampoo on the counter and looked into the mirror.

The dried blood from yesterday was gone. He had no doubt the young witch had used a spell to clean the worst of the blood and caked mud off of him. His hair was hanging down in limp strands around his face, and this bothered him, although he didn't know why.

He sighed, turning on the taps of the shower to see a cascade of warm water immediately flow. Lucius quickly stripped, stepping into the warm streams. The water hit his muscles, and he hissed. He felt instant relief on his sore legs and back.

Lucius closed his eyes, letting the water flow through his hair. "Lucius Malfoy." He said out loud. The name didn't mean anything to him. "That is who I am. Lucius Malfoy. I am Lucius Malfoy." Nope, nothing. "Hermione." He said this time. The witch that had saved his life. "Hermione." He repeated. That name didn't mean anything to him either.

Hermione. What was her last name? How old was she? Was that man out there her husband? Why did that matter? Lucius may not remember his age or his mother's name, but he remembered what jealousy felt like, and he was amazed to have felt it when he saw the witch cuddling with that man.

Why was he worrying about some witch right now, when he didn't even know if he was married? He decided the mind could do strange things when you don't know who you are. "Lucius Malfoy." He repeated again, lathering his hair.

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"Eggs?" Remus asked, stepping into the kitchen and sniffing the air.

"Yes, I didn't know what he would want to eat." Hermione replied, chewing her bottom lip.

"You okay?" Remus asked.

"Yes. No. I don't know." She answered, spinning around to charm the bacon.

"Sit down." Remus commanded.

"I can't right now. I can't sit when I'm nervous. What am I supposed to tell him when he asks if he has family?" she said, pouring fresh juice. "Do I say yes? Do I tell him about his twisted Death Eater son and evil wife?"

"Hermione…" Remus started.

"What do I do when he asks again about why Harry and Ron treated him so bad? Or why you called him a monster? What do I say when he asks why I flinched when he reached for me to help himself stand? Do I tell him 'Gee Lucius, you are a murdering follower of the most evil wizard in history. Not to mention you rape, steal, and torture wizards and muggles alike?"

"Hermione…." Remus started again.

"Why don't I tell him all of that and then buy him a ticket on the Knight Bus right back to Voldemort?" she spat.

"Are you done?" Remus tried again.

She sighed. "Yes. I'm done." She charmed the breakfast to stay warm until Lucius came out. Plopping down in the seat next to Remus, she rubbed her tired face. "You can go home now Remus, I have this under control."

"I'm not leaving you here alone with him." Remus stated.

"Tonks is due any day, don't you want to be there with her?" Hermione asked.

Remus smiled. "We charmed these watches." He said, pointing to a solid black watch on his wrist. "When she goes into labor, she'll activate her watch, and mine will alert me."

Hermione smiled. "You don't have to stay though. You need to be home with her."

"And I will once Harry and Ron get back." Remus said. "End of discussion."

"Fine, you are stubborn." She said, relieved that he wasn't going to leave. "So we haven't figured out what we are going to tell him yet."

"I think it would be best to tell him as much of the truth as we can." Remus replied.

He noticed Hermione pale slightly under the harsh kitchen lights. "Everything?"

He reached out and covered her hand. "Not everything. Not yet. You can decide later what to do with that. But we do need to tell him about the battle, and about how evil Voldemort is."

"What if it jogs his memory and he remembers everything?" Hermione asked.

"If we take it slow, it shouldn't jog anything, but I can't guarantee it." Remus said. "It's the best plan I can think of."

"So what do we tell him first?" She said.

"You can tell me if I have family." Lucius replied from the doorway.

Hermione jumped in her seat. "I…. uh…."

Lucius slowly made his way to the seat across from her, sitting down. "I just want to know who I am."

"I'll get breakfast." Remus said, jumping up from the table.

'Damn werewolf.' Hermione thought. "Okay. I'll tell you want you want to know. You…" she paused. Could she lie to him? It wouldn't be right to lie, to tell him he had no wife or child. But then, nothing he did had ever been right. She bit her lip.

"You have never been married, and you have no children." Remus said, setting a cup of coffee down on the table in front of Lucius.

Hermione looked up, a mixture of confusion and shock in her eyes. Remus smiled at her, trying to tell her he knew what he was doing.

"No family at all? What about parents?" he asked.

"We have no idea, you never shared much about your history with us." Remus answered.

"And who are you?" Lucius asked, turning to the other man, that surge of jealousy rising again.

"Remus Lupin." Remus said. "And you already know Hermione. Hermione Granger."

"So you two are not married?" Lucius asked casually.

Hermione smiled a genuine smile at this. "Merlin no. He's got a baby on the way!" she said.

Lucius told himself it was the food in his stomach that made his head feel better suddenly. "You still haven't told me everything. What was that mans problem with me last night? And why did you call me a monster?"

"You haven't always been the nicest person to us." Hermione said softly.

"What did I do?" Lucius asked, setting his fork down.

"It's not important right now." Remus interrupted. "What is important is making sure you are feeling okay, maybe you should get some more rest."

Lucius sighed. "Do you know how frustrating it is not knowing who you are? Why you are treated awful? Who everyone else is? What day of the week it is? I don't know any of that."

Hermione felt that strange mix of hatred and pity again for this man. "You will understand it all Lucius, I promise. But Remus is right; you need to get some more rest. I won't tell you anything else until you are feeling one hundred percent better."

Lucius hated to admit that he already felt tired. He sighed in frustration. "Fine. I'll go rest." He muttered, pushing away from the table.

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"This is strange." Severus muttered from behind the Daily Prophet a couple hours later.

Narcissa looked up from the coffee cup she was staring at. "What?"

"There is no mention of finding Lucius' body yesterday. It would have made front page news." Severus said.

"Maybe they didn't find it yet." She suggested, getting up to walk behind him and read the paper over his shoulder.

"Perhaps." He muttered, looking at her well-manicured hand resting on his shoulder.


	5. Where The River Flows

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

**A/N: **I hope everyone remembers this story. It hasn't been updated in about three months. I feel ashamed of that. Once things finally calmed down with my grandfather, I wanted to finish Anything But Mine before working on this one. I realized quickly I could only write one chapter-story at a time, if I try to write more than one I feel rushed. I have this whole story typed out and saved already, so I'll be posting a chapter every couple of days till it's done! Enjoy!

I went back and corrected all the mistakes in the first four chapters of this story, so if you want to refresh your memories on the plot, the first four chapters should all be corrected!

And if you are looking for good Lucius/Hermione stories, there are two I can recommend that you check out (after you read and review mine of course)! Try _In The Rain _by Dragon Fire10 and _To Save A Malfoy_ by SnapeSeraphin.

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 5 – Where The River Flows**

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_Give me a moment  
Got to get this weight up off my chest  
Don't feed me sorrow  
Pain is a poison I digest I'll give you answers  
To the questions you have yet to ask  
Silence is beauty  
Words they only complicate the task  
Make no more wishes  
All of my patience has been spent_

Where The River Flows by Collective Soul

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"I wonder how long he will sleep," Hermione muttered, pushing away from the table herself.

"For awhile I imagine. He is probably exhausted," Remus replied.

"Why did you lie to him about Draco and Narcissa?" Hermione asked, spinning around.

"I don't know. It was a spur of the moment decision. I don't really know what to tell him anymore than you do," Remus replied.

"I am going to go take a bath," Hermione said, starting for the hallway. She stopped short when she heard Remus grunt in surprise. "What is it?"

"It's my watch. Tonks. She's having the baby," the grin on his face spread. "She's having the baby!"

Hermione couldn't help but smile in response. "Hurry up, you need to go to her."

As quick as the smile came, it left his handsome face. "I can't. I won't leave you here alone with Lucius Malfoy."

"I'll be fine Remus. It is more important that you be with Tonks right now."

"I refuse to leave you here with him," Remus stated again.

"Fine, I'll send Hedwig out to get Harry and Ron. But you need to go. I'll be fine for the few moments after you leave and before they get here," Hermione said, trying to reassure him.

"I'll send the note to Harry, that way I know it's done," Remus said, reaching for paper.

A few moments later Hermione watched Hedwig fly out the open window while Remus gathered his coat and hat up. "Look, Harry should be here in a matter of seconds. I feel awful leaving you here," he said, pulling Hermione in for a hug.

"You have somewhere more important to be right now. Go!" she said, hugging him back. "Tell Tonks I love her!"

Hermione sighed after the werewolf left, flopping down on the couch. She desperately wanted a bath and her headache was getting worse. As soon as Harry got back she was going to lock herself in the bathroom for at least an hour.

A sudden tapping on the window caught her attention and Hermione turned to see Pig hooting and rapping the glass. She jumped up and let the poor owl in. A small piece of parchment was attached Pig's leg, addressed to Remus.

She reached for some breadcrumbs from Hedwig's dish and gave them to the hooting owl before untying the letter.

_Remus, _

_We got a tip on Snape. I don't know how trustworthy it is, but it's worth checking out. Ron and Ginny are going with me. Don't leave Hermione alone there with that man. _

_Harry_

Hermione sighed; rolling the parchment back up and tossing it in the fire before flopping back down on the couch. She was sure she could handle Malfoy, but there goes the warm bath.

What kind of tip could they have gotten on Snape? She couldn't help but feel a bitter resentment creep up her spine. Harry and Ron had taken _Ginny_ with them. Hermione had always been with them. They were the so-called Golden Trio. She knew Harry hadn't asked her because she was supervising Lucius, but it didn't stop the hot jealousy from burning her throat.

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Lucius stretched his arms out as he woke up in the small bed. He sat up slowly, looking around the room he was in for the first time. It was clear a female occupied this room, but it was not overly decorated. There were some pictures on one wall. And a wanted poster with a wild looking man pictured above the name Sirius Black hung on the other side of the room. A gold medal hung from a peg on the wall, and what looked like a certificate was over the small desk.

A light scent of roses and rain lingered on the sheets and in the room. It was a pleasant scent that warmed his body. Tossing the sheets aside, Lucius stood up and walked to where his clothes were piled on a chair. There was a long mirror on the wall, and Lucius stopped to really look at himself for the first time. He had kept his eyes closed through most of his shower earlier.

He had a very well built body. He couldn't find an inch of fat anywhere. He must work out regularly. Judging by the small lines around his eyes, Lucius estimated he was at least in his forties. He turned to the side and lifted his arms up; they were also muscular, so he knew he had upper body strength.

As his hand dropped, Lucius noticed a flash of black. Turning his arm up, he saw the tattoo on his arm for the first time. It was completely black and pictured a skull with a snake coming out of his mouth. The tattoo didn't jog any memories, but it was ugly.

Lucius gave up hope of recognizing anything and reached for his pants.

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Lucius heard her soft breathing before he saw her asleep on the couch. Her arm was hanging off the edge and her neck was bent in what looked like an uncomfortable position. He stepped over to the couch softly and lifted her arm up to rest across her chest. He pulled the quilt off the back of the couch and draped it across her small body.

Careful to be quiet, Lucius stepped into the kitchen and began to boil water to make tea with. He didn't have a wand, so he had to make the tea by hand. As the water was heating up, Lucius' mind drifted again to what he knew about himself and what he didn't know. The frustration of not knowing was growing, and he knew when the girl got up from her sleep, he was going to demand information.

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"He must have survived," Narcissa stated, sitting down on the end of the bed.

"He couldn't have survived. He was attacked to many times," Severus Snape replied, crouching down in front of her and taking her hands.

"Severus, his body was dumped almost forty-eight hours ago in a very public place. He would have been found by now unless he got up and walked away," Narcissa explained, grasping his hands hard. "He'll come after me if he knows I was in on his demise."

Severus quickly wrapped his arms around her. "I wouldn't let him hurt you. I promise."

"What about the Order? What if he tries to attack them on his own? I think it's time you went back Severus. You need to tell them what happened with Dumbledore."

"I think it is time to talk to them also Narcissa. I just have to figure out who to approach. I have to find someone who would listen to me instead of killing me on the spot."

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_She was running…. running faster and faster….., gasping for air. He was gaining on her; she could feel his breath on her neck. Suddenly he was there, his arm wrapping around her neck, pulling her backwards…._

Lucius heard the girl scream. Setting his cup down, he quickly ran to the living room. She was still on the couch, but she had thrown the quilt on the floor. Her face was red and sweat was pouring from her brow. Her hands were clawing at her own neck.

He quickly knelt down beside her, grabbing her arms and pulling them to her side, shaking her as he did so.

The girl sat up with a cry and she instantly threw herself into his arms as tears began pouring from her eyes. "Same dream again…" she said between sobs. "I keep reliving it…Harry it's awful. I keep feeling him grab me, I feel him rape me all over again."

Lucius didn't know what to say to the crying girl in his arms. He patted her back awkwardly and tried to help her sit up, but she wouldn't release her grip on him.

"I can feel him raping me still Harry… I just wish I could forget…" she whispered.

"Sshh… it was just a dream, calm down," Lucius said.

As quickly as she had fell into his embrace, the girl leapt away from him, a cry stuck in her throat and a look of honest terror in her eyes.

Lucius jumped up. "What? Are you okay?"

Hermione closed her eyes and took a breath, releasing it slowly. She opened her eyes again. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you were Harry."

"It is okay. You had a bad dream. Of course you were going to be upset. Are you going to be okay?" Lucius asked her with genuine concern in his voice.

Hermione nodded, but her pale face said otherwise. "Fine," she could feel the sweat on her brow. "I need to take a shower. I will only be a moment," she told him, quickly fleeing the room. Hermione stopped at the front door; the only door in the flat that lead outside. She quickly set up wards around the door to make sure Lucius couldn't leave.

Shutting the bathroom door, she quickly warded it as well. Hermione wasted no time stripping down and jumping in the shower. It wasn't a warm bath but anything would do right now. The dream was still fresh on her mind. She could still feel the hands around her neck, pulling her backwards.

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Lucius heard the water start in the bathroom. He returned to the kitchen and picked his cup up from the table, carrying it to the sink. A sudden hunger hit the man, and he realized other than the few bites of eggs earlier he probably hadn't ate in a long time. Opening the cupboard doors, Lucius began to pull out ingredients. He was pretty sure he could remember how to make something.

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Hermione had to admit she felt a lot better after the warm shower. She ran a comb through her curls before pulling them back in a simple ponytail. She quickly threw on some old jeans and a sweatshirt and took a deep breath before opening the bathroom door.

The smell of tomato sauce assaulted her senses immediately and she felt her stomach growl. She followed the smell to the kitchen, where Lucius was stirring the sauce.

The giggle escaped her mouth before she could stop it. Never in her life would she have pictured Lucius Malfoy standing in her kitchen with no shoes on, his hair hanging loose around his face, making pasta the muggle way.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked when her giggle caught his attention.

"Much better." She replied.

"I was hungry. I didn't know if I would remember how to cook anything, but once I started to find the ingredients it seemed to come back to me. Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Actually yes." Hermione admitted.

"Then dinner is served." Lucius stated, carrying two loaded plates of pasta over to the table. Hermione sat down slowly, staring at the plate in front of her. This all seemed so surreal.

"The gentleman that was here. Remus. He left?" Lucius asked.

"His wife is having a baby. She went into labor a little bit ago," Hermione told him. "But Harry will be here soon," she lied.

They ate the remainder of the pasta in silence. Once both plates were clear, Lucius pushed his back and rested his arms on the table. "I want you to talk to me now. Tell me about… me… please?"

Hermione sighed, pushing her own plate back. "To tell you about you, I need to start at the beginning I guess."


	6. Honestly OK

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 6 – Honestly OK**

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_I just want to feel safe in my own skin  
I just want to be happy again  
I just want to feel deep in my own world  
but I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore  
On a different day if I was safe in my own skin  
then I wouldn't feel so lost and so frightened  
But this is today and I'm lost in my own skin_

Honestly OK by Dido

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"I don't know much about your history or your family. I can't help you there," Hermione began. "I don't think I have ever heard your parents names, so I couldn't tell you who they were. Your name, as I told you before, is Lucius Malfoy. I don't know exactly how old you are, but I believe you are in your mid-forties."

"What day is it? What month?" Lucius asked, laying his arms on the kitchen table.

"Today is July 23rd," Hermione responded.

Lucius sighed. "I can tell you are hesitant about explaining things to me, but please, I need to know, and I want you to be honest with me."

Hermione sighed. "Let me start with a few small things. There is a school where all witches and wizards achieve their education, both academic and magical. The name of the school is Hogwarts. The headmaster there was Albus Dumbledore. I attended that school, and so did you.

"Over twenty years ago a wizard graduated from Hogwarts. His name was Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle went bad, very bad. He hated muggles and he thought the wizard world would be better off without them."

"Muggles?" Lucius asked.

"Muggles are people who are not magic. You always called them mudbloods," she spit the word out laced with venom, and Lucius got the impression it was an offensive word that she had been hurt by.

"So how does this Tom Riddle relate to me?" he asked.

Hermione sighed. "As Riddle grew more powerful he changed his name. He became known as…" she hesitated, this was the moment of truth. "He became Lord Voldemort. It's a name most people will not say. They call him you-know-who or he-who-must-not-be-named." Lucius gave no response to the name, and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. One step done and a million more to go.

"As Voldemort's power increased he began recruiting other wizards and witches who felt the same way he did about muggles. They were called Deatheaters. At first they did small things like burning buildings and sending threats. Soon they began to do more awful things. They began killing muggle-borns, they enjoyed torturing entire families. Pureblooded wizards who associated with muggles were killed also. The Deatheaters would steal from their victims and…rape…. they would rape muggles." Hermione stopped talking and Lucius noticed her hand was trembling.

Reaching over he put his hand over her hand. "You said when you woke up that you could picture 'him' raping you all over again. You were raped by these Deatheaters, weren't you?"

Hermione paled. She licked her lips before opening her mouth and continuing her story, ignoring his question. "Nineteen years ago Albus Dumbledore formed a group of powerful witches and wizards to stop Voldemort. They were called the Order of the Phoenix. Voldemort began hunting the members of the Order. Two of them were married and had a small son. When Voldemort attacked and killed the couple, he could not kill the boy. Instead Voldemort was nearly destroyed. All that was left was his soul.

"The boy became known as the boy-who-lived, and he is famous in the wizard world. That boy is Harry Potter," she stopped to take a sip of her water.

"Harry was the man here earlier. The one with glasses?" Lucius asked.

Hermione nodded. "Yes. Harry has been my best friend since our first year at Hogwarts. I am also a muggle-born witch. Both of my parents are muggles. This has made me a target of Voldemort's since he came back."

"You said Harry Potter destroyed Voldemort, so how did he come back?" Lucius asked.

"Most of the Deatheaters faded back into the wizard community after Voldemort was destroyed. They thought he was dead so they lied and swore they were under spells, some of them even bought their freedom. Only a few of these servants remained loyal. About four years ago they managed to bring Voldemort's soul back into a body, and after he returned most of this Deatheaters re-entered his service. They began raping, torturing and killing muggles while trying to find and kill Harry.

"The Order of the Phoenix has been reformed, and we are doing everything in our power to find and kill Voldemort before he gets to Harry," Hermione stopped again.

"So this Voldemort is out there right now hunting for you and your friends?" Lucius asked.

"Yes." Hermione said, noticing how quiet it was for the first time.

"I still don't get how this involves me though." Lucius said, sipping his water.

Hermione ran her hands up and down her own water glass and lowered her eyes to the table as she spoke. "As I said, most of Voldemort's Deatheaters went back to his service after he came back. Voldemort must remain in hiding, so unless the victim is brought to him, he rarely kills or tortures anyone himself. He sends his Deatheaters out to do the work for him.

"Once a Deatheater has tortured and killed their victim, they send a symbol up in the sky to signify it is done. This symbol is of a skull, with a snake coming out of it's…"

Before Hermione could finish, Lucius jumped up from the table, knocking his chair back as he did so. His eyes were wide and Hermione noticed his lips were pale. He quickly rolled his sleeve up, thrusting his arm towards her. "This symbol?"

Hermione stood up slowly, looking up to meet his eyes for the first time since she started her story. "Each Deatheater was branded with the Dark Mark. It burns when Voldemort calls for them."

"Me? I am a Death…" he trailed off. Lucius didn't move. His arm was still thrust out, the Dark Mark staring at them both. Slowly, Lucius found his seat, sinking into it slowly. "It makes since now. The way Harry reacted. Your reaction when I stumbled up to you on the street. The fear in your eyes whenever I move to quickly."

Hermione felt sorry for him. She didn't know where it came from, but this overwhelming since of sorrow filled her. She sat back down and reached out, this time covering his hand with her much smaller one.

When Lucius looked up again, Hermione was shocked to see tears in his eyes. She could tell it was taking all of his effort not to let them spill down his cheeks. "Why?" he asked. "Why would I be so evil? How could I be so evil? I have killed people?"

Hermione bit her bottom lip, she knew she needed to be honest with him, but hesitated on making it any worse on him right now. "You were not just a Deatheater, Lucius. You were Voldemort's right-hand man. The most feared of all Deatheaters."

Lucius didn't make any reaction to this. He continued to stare off into space, but she could feel his hand tremble underneath her own. After a moment of silence, he spoke. "Why did I become a Deatheater?"

"I don't know. If I had to guess I would say you were born into it. Your family is pureblooded, and they always looked down their noses on muggle-borns. Voldemort represented everything you wanted at the time."

Lucius looked over at her. "I want to help the Order. I'll do everything I can to help destroy this Voldemort. The redhead mentioned earlier that with me here you would have access to all my books and spells, anything I have you can have. I don't know what I have though. You'd have to tell me."

Hermione sighed, suddenly feeling very tired. "We will figure it all out, somehow," she paused. "I am sorry."

"What do you have to be sorry for?" Lucius asked, looking up at her.

"I am sorry you had to find this out. I am sorry you are hurting now for what you have done," she replied.

Lucius noticed her own chin trembling and the break in her voice. "You suffer your own scars," he said.

Hermione moved her hands to her lap. "Two people very dear to me were killed by Deatheaters," she noticed the unasked question in his eyes immediately. "Not you. Two others. Sirius was killed by his own cousin and Professor Dumbledore was killed by a person we all trusted."

"You were raped by a Deatheater, weren't you?" he asked.

Hermione sprang from her chair. "Yes, I was," she said, quickly leaving the kitchen.

Lucius jumped up quickly and followed her. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories. I want to help. Tell me what to do and I'll do it. I want to gain your trust. The Orders trust."

Hermione smiled softly. "It's late. We can talk about more of this tomorrow."

"I wish now I had never asked about who I was." Lucius said softly. "I think I liked not knowing better."

"I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell you," Hermione said. "You may stay in my room again tonight. I'll sleep in Harry's."

"I thought you said Harry would be back shortly." Lucius said.

"I lied." Hermione admitted, going into Harry's room and shutting the door. She leaned up against the cool wood for a moment before turning and warding the door. The wards on the front door would keep Lucius in the flat if he tried to leave, but something told her he wouldn't.

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Lucius stood out in the hallway for a moment before entering her small room again. Everything he had learned in the last couple of hours turned his head. He was this evil wizard's right hand man. He had killed innocent people because they were not pureblooded.

After removing his clothing, Lucius turned to the mirror again. He slowly raised his arm up, staring at the tattoo again. The mark of evil on his arm. He turned away from the mirror with disgust, climbing into the warm bed that smelled of rain and roses. The confusion and disgust haunted him, but not as much as the empty look in Hermione's eyes as she spoke of the evil he had done.


	7. Crushing Me

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

**A/N:** The two Deatheater names I used in this story are entirely fake.

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 7 – Crushing Me**

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_I'm feeling the weight of the world  
And it's crushing me  
I'm feeling the weight of everyday life  
And it's crushing me  
How much more will it take?  
How much more until it breaks me?  
This world...is crushing me_

Crushing Me by Stabbing Westward

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Lucius tossed the covers off and crawled out of the bed. He was tired of laying there tossing and turning waiting for sleep that wasn't going to come. A glance at the bedside clock told him it was only three in the morning. He reached again for his pants and slipped them on. The moonlight was streaming in the small window, and Lucius could see there were stars twinkling.

Thinking the fresh air would do him some good; Lucius grabbed his shirt and left the bedroom, making his way down the dark hallway to the front door. As he reached for the knob, a blue light sparked and before he knew what was happening he flew across the living room and smacked the wall.

Within seconds Lucius heard the sound of a door opening down the hallway. "What happened?" he heard Hermione say as she entered the living room, her wand out and pointed.

"I don't know. I wanted to get some fresh air, but when I touched the door something attacked me," Lucius said, turning to look at her.

"I put wards up on the doors, to keep people from getting near them," Hermione explained, setting her wand down on the small table and tightening the belt on her blue robe. "Are you okay?"

Lucius nodded and stood up. "Just surprised is all."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize the wards were so powerful," she responded.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Lucius said.

"You didn't," she replied, looking down at the floor. "I couldn't sleep."

"I couldn't sleep either. Why don't we make some tea?" he suggested, flipping the switch to the kitchen light.

"Okay." Hermione said, pocketing her wand and following him into the smaller room.

Lucius set about boiling the water for tea as Hermione got down two cups. Once the tea was ready, they sat down at the kitchen table. "Seems like we were just here," Hermione mumbled.

"After everything I learned I couldn't sleep. I just sat up thinking about this Voldemort and everything you and your friends must have gone through." Lucius said.

Hermione looked up from her cup. Hermione noticed for the first time that Lucius had cut his head. Without thinking, Hermione started to reach up to wipe it off. Realizing what she was about to do, she stopped and grabbed his napkin. She slowly handed it to him. "You are bleeding."

Lucius reached up and wiped his forehead with the napkin, studying Hermione as he did so. "Thank you."

She smiled in response, but kept her eyes on her cup again.

"I know why you are so nervous around me, and I know why you don't trust me, but I hope you know I wouldn't hurt you," he said in a gentle voice. "I meant what I said earlier, I want to help."

Hermione sighed and looked up at him again. "We are going to have to get you some clothes. I mended what you had on as well as I could, but you still need something else to wear."

Lucius decided not to mention her quick change of topic. "I don't know if I have any money to buy anything."

Hermione smiled a genuine smile at this. "Trust me, you have plenty of money."

"So I am rich?" Lucius asked.

"Very," she nodded.

"The first good news I have learned about myself," he replied, a cheerful sparkle in his eye.

Hermione suddenly looked up at the clock above the fireplace. "It's almost four!" she said.

Lucius looked up at the clock and yawned as he noticed the time himself. "It will be dawn before we know it."

"No! It's not that! I haven't heard from Harry yet. Even if they went to the Burrow he would have sent me a note by now. I hope nothing has happened." Hermione said.

"Was something supposed to happen?" Lucius asked her.

"He got a tip on where to find another of Voldemort's followers and decided to follow it. He didn't go alone, but I am still getting worried," she responded.

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"Foolish brats! Nothing has changed! Just rushing into things without thinking them through!" Severus Snape barked, storming into the small bedroom.

"Severus, is that you?" Narcissa mumbled, reaching for the bedside lamp. "What's wrong?"

"He caught them," Severus said, opening his wardrobe and tossing a clean robe on the bed.

Narcissa looked at the clock. "You have been away this long?"

"Didn't you hear me?" Severus snarled, turning towards her.

"What happened?" she asked, jumping out of bed. "What is going on?"

"Voldemort. He caught them. He caught the two Weasleys and Potter," Severus said, slipping his clean robe on. "He sent a fake tip to them about me and they believed it. Knight and Tyler were waiting to ambush them."

"Where are they?" she said, reaching for her own robes with a shaky hand.

"He's holding them at Malfoy manor, in Lucius' dungeon rooms. Wormtail and Knight are guarding them now."

"We have to get them Severus. It's only a matter of time before he kills Potter. I am surprised he hasn't already." Narcissa said.

"I believe he is waiting, I don't think he can kill Potter yet. He's growing weaker every time a Horcrux is destroyed. I think an unforgivable curse would drain him of all his power right now and he knows it," Severus reached for a tie to pull his hair back.

"So how do we get Harry out?" Narcissa asked, tying her own hair up in a ponytail.

"_We_ don't," he said. "We can't afford to let Voldemort know we are traitors, not yet."

"So what are you going to do?" Narcissa asked.

"I am going to have to go to the Order sooner than I thought," Severus tucked his wand into his pocket. "Wait here for me."

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"You are still bleeding." Hermione said, wanting to break the silence that had filled the kitchen as they watched the clock.

Lucius reached up and touched his forehead. "So I am," he said. He glanced at the clock again. "Maybe I will take another shower."

She nodded. "Go ahead. I'm going to go send Hedwig out, maybe Harry is at the Burrow."

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Hermione watched Hedwig fly out the window and into the night. She bit her lip, something didn't feel right. She just knew Harry was in trouble. She started to turn from the window, but a movement outside caught her eye. She reached in her pocket and pulled her wand out, holding it down to her side.

As she squinted to make out the shadow, the clouds parted from the moon, giving her a clear view of who was standing there.

A shot of panic ran up her spine, and she found herself wishing Lucius wasn't in the shower. Gripping her wand harder in one hand, she reached the other one up to shut the window.

"I wouldn't do that yet Miss. Granger," the familiar, silky voice of her old potions professor said.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed.

"Helping you," he replied, stepping closer to the window.

Hermione whipped her wand up, pointing it at him. "I'm warning you."

Severus saw the honest fear in the girl's eyes. She was here alone and didn't know he wasn't a murderer.

He looked her in the eyes and let his wand fall from his hand and hit the soft grass in her yard. "I'm not going to hurt you Hermione."

"What do you want?" she asked.

"As I said, I'm here to help you. Let me in, we need to talk."

"NO!" she cried. "I would never let you in here."

"Hermione, listen to me," he pleaded, his voice soft. "I will leave my wand out here, I promise I won't hurt you. Harry is in trouble Hermione. So are Ginny and Ron."

Hermione bit her lip as she studied him. "Where are they?" she asked.

"He caught them Hermione," Severus said. "I never betrayed you or the Order, I swear. Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he asked me to kill him."

"He would have never….." she hissed.

"He did!" Severus interrupted her. "He knew it had to happen Hermione. You must believe me."

Hermione noticed a light flicker on in the flat across the street and a shadow appear in the window.

She knew she couldn't continue to talk to him while he was outside or the neighbors would hear, but she didn't want him to know Lucius was here, in case he was lying about being on their side.

The water was still running in the bathroom. She tapped her wand against her leg before waving it at the door, disarming the wards. "Speak fast," she snapped.

Severus picked his wand up.

"You said you wouldn't bring it in here!" she demanded.

"I can't leave it laying in your front yard either," he explained. "I'll set it right here on your porch."

Once his wand was out of the way, Severus stepped into the living room. Hermione raised her wand quickly, pointing it at his chest. "Tell me where Harry is, now!"

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Lucius stepped out of the shower, slowly drying off. The cut on his head had stopped bleeding, and he inspected it in the mirror. It was a small cut; he doubted there would be a scar.

Slipping into the same clothes again, Lucius hoped he would be able to get some new pants today. He picked up a small pink comb and began running it through his hair. As he was tying his hair back, the sound of raised voices caught his attention.

Assuming Harry was back, Lucius finished fixing his hair and started down the hallway. He stopped in the doorway when he noticed the man standing in the living room with Hermione was not Harry or Remus. This man was tall and dark. They seemed to be arguing, and Hermione had her wand pointed at the man.

Thinking about the Deatheaters and Harry's recent disappearance, Lucius realized Hermione was probably in danger. Cursing because he didn't have a wand, Lucius looked around for a weapon he could use if he had to. He grabbed the vase from the small table and ducked back into the shadow of the hallway, waiting for a good moment to run for the man.

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"How do I know this isn't a trick to get me to Malfoy manor? How do I know Harry is really there?" Hermione shouted at Severus Snape.

"You have to trust me!" Severus yelled back, losing his patience. He had thought Hermione Granger would be the one person who would give him a chance.

"TRUST YOU?" she shouted. "You are a DEATHEATER!" her voice was shrill.

"I am a spy! Nothing has changed!" Severus repeated. "You are wasting time."

Hermione faltered, if Harry was held captive at Malfoy manor she needed to go to him, but what if this was a trap?

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"You are a DEATHEATER!" Lucius heard Hermione cry out. He raised the vase and moved to the other side of the hallway, his suspicions confirmed.

"I am a spy! Nothing has changed!" the Deatheater replied. "You are wasting time."

"Why should I trust you? How do I know you are still on our side?" Lucius heard Hermione demand.

He inched closer to the doorway as they spoke.

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"Why should I trust you? How do I know you are still on our side?" Hermione demanded, looking Severus in the eyes.

"Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!" he thundered.


	8. For Your Life

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

**A/N:** Sorry this took a little longer than I thought it would to get posted. I came down with an awful flu that kept me from doing anything for a couple of days. This chapter is sorta short, but I didn't want to cut off mid-action scene, so this is where I decided to cut it.

The next chapter should be either tomorrow or Thursday. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 8 – For Your Life**

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_Heard a cry for mercy,  
In the city of the damned  
Down in the pits you go no lower  
The next stop's underground  
Wine and roses ain't quite over  
fate deals a losing hand  
And I said: didn't mean to…did not mean to fail_

For Your Life by Led Zepplin

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"_Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"_

"_Lucius Malfoy. Your name is Lucius Malfoy." _

"_She saved your life Malfoy, Merlin knows you didn't deserve it." _

"_Same dream again…I keep reliving it…Harry it's awful. I keep feeling him grab me, I feel him rape me all over again."_

"_I can feel him raping me still Harry… I just wish I could forget…" _

"_Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"_

_A look of honest terror in her eyes._

"_As Voldemort's power increased he began recruiting other wizards and witches who felt the same way he did about muggles. They were called Deatheaters. …. They would rape…." _

"_You were not just a Deatheater, Lucius. You were Voldemort's right-hand man. The most feared of all Deatheaters."_

"_You were raped by a Deatheater, weren't you?" _

"_Yes, I was." _

"_Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!" _

"…_. The night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"_

"…_..Lucius Malfoy raped you!"_

The glass vase slipped from his fingers before he could grab it. His head spun and he clutched the wall in an effort to stay standing. For her sake he couldn't fall now. He didn't hear the glass shatter. He could only hear her voice echoing through his head.

"_I can feel him raping me still Harry… I just wish I could forget…"_

He had to focus. He still didn't know who this man was, and Hermione could still be in danger.

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When the glass shattered, Hermione became aware of two things at once. She realized the shower was no longer running, and she remembered the man who had carried her from Malfoy Manor that night. Until now she had believed him to be a hallucination.

"It was you?" she whispered.

"Yes Hermione, it was me," Severus replied, looking towards the hallway. "Is there someone here?"

"No, it was Crookshanks," she replied.

"Didn't you wonder how you made it back to Hogwarts?" Severus asked her.

"I don't know. I passed out as soon as Malfoy left the room, and when I woke up I was with Harry and Remus at Hogwarts," she replied, her voice soft.

"Wormtail came back to the meeting that night and let us know Lucius had you. I had to wait until Voldemort was done with us before I could act, and it proved to be to late. Lucius had already raped you before I got to Malfoy Manor. I sent an anonymous message with a fake location to find Draco at. He left Wormtail in charge of watching you and I easily got past him and carried you out," Severus explained.

She heard the honesty in his voice, along with the regret at not being able to prevent her attack. She looked into his eyes. "Tell me what to do."

"I am going to make this as easy as possible, but the success of this will rest on you. I am going to disable the wards around Malfoy Manor, but only for ten minutes, any longer than that and someone will notice," Severus explained. "I can't help you any more than that, I can't let Voldemort know I am still a traitor, not yet."

Hermione nodded. "How do I get in?"

"If you enter the manor through the old servants door and go up the back staircase, they are in the second room to the left. They were moved from the dungeons just before I came here," he said. "You do not have to worry about Lucius Malfoy. I will explain more later, but he is dead. Get them out as quickly as possible. The guards will be watching the front door, and I will be there with them. I will try my hardest to keep their attention away from the back of the house."

"When?" she asked.

"As soon as possible. He hasn't killed Potter yet because he is weak. He used most of his strength up torturing Lucius just a few nights ago, and he hasn't regained all of his energy, but it won't be long until he does," Severus said.

"I will leave now," she said, her shoulders squared.

"I will aid you where I can. Be safe," he said as he stepped out on the porch and reached for his wand.

With a final nod he was gone, and Hermione grabbed the doorframe for support. She took a breath to steady herself and turned around to enter the flat again.

Lucius Malfoy stepped out of the hallway. His face was pale and she could tell his hands were shaking. "Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered.

"I can't do this right now," she replied, brushing past him. "I have to get Harry."

"It was me… you should have told… why did you save…" he stuttered, not sure what he really wanted to say.

Hermione shut her bedroom door, reaching for the first article of clothing she could find, fighting the tears back. She pulled her hair up in a messy ponytail and quickly stuck her wand in her back pocket. She reached for her coat as she left the bedroom again.

Lucius was sitting on the couch, holding his head in his hands. When she stepped into the living room he looked up at her.

"I am going with you," he stated, standing up.

"No, you will wait here. You can't be seen. Clearly Voldemort believes you are dead," she replied.

Lucius stepped closer to her and Hermione saw the familiar expression of anger in his eyes, one she hadn't seen since he had stepped out of the alley with no idea who he was. She quickly understood this anger was directed at himself.

"You cannot go alone."

"You don't have a wand and you can't be seen. Lucius, you must wait here," she said, stepping around him again.

Lucius reached out and grabbed her arm gently, stopping her. "You will not do this alone. I can help, wand or not," he turned her slightly so that he could look her in the eyes. "I want to help, I need to help. I will wear a mask if I have to."

She sighed. "There is not a mask anywhere that would hide you from Voldemort, and a glamour wouldn't last for more than a couple of moments. Even if it did it would take to much of my strength to cast it and maintain it."

"Then let them see me," Lucius said, his jaw set.

She looked down where his hand still rested on her arm. "I saw no reason to tell you…" she said in a soft voice. "Why cause you anymore pain right now?"

"Why worry about the pain you are causing me, when clearly I caused you more pain than any woman should ever know?" Lucius asked her, his voice softer.

"I know a way you can go and not be recognized," she said, shaking his hand off of her arm and going to the small bathroom.

She returned a moment later with a small vial. "Polyjuice potion. We keep a couple bottles in our supplies for emergencies."

Lucius took the small vial. "What does it do?"

"You put a part of someone into the potion and drink it. You will look like them for an hour. It should give us enough time to get in and out of Malfoy Manor with Harry, Ron and Ginny," Hermione explained.

"Malfoy Manor, is that my former home?" Lucius asked her, staring at the vial.

"Yes."

"So, who will I look like?" Lucius asked.

Hermione looked around the small flat. "I can't use Harry or Ron's hair because we will be going in to get them out, and we might be seen," she said as she quickly walked over to the couch. She examined the couch for a moment before pulling a hair off of the fabric. "I think this belongs to Remus, it's about the right length and it looks like the right color."

Taking the vial back from Lucius, she added the hair and watched the liquid boil and foam. She handed it back to him. "Are you sure you want to go with me?"

Lucius took the vial and drank it without answering her.

Hermione turned her head and covered her ears. The sound and appearance of Polyjuice potion at work always made her sick. After a moment, she turned back around to find Remus Lupin staring at his own hands.

"I can't believe this stuff…" Lucius muttered, but it was Remus' voice that came out.

Hermione felt a wave of courage and determination flow up her spine. "Are you ready?"

Lucius nodded. "How will we get there?"

"I will apparate us, just grab my hand," she replied, reaching for him.


	9. The End Will Come

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

A/N: I didn't post this chapter earlier because I wasn't sure if I liked it. I realized I can write love scenes and dramatic moments, but I have a hard time with 'action scenes' I don't think they are my thing. Let me know what you guys think with a honest review! Thank you for all your reviews so far.

_**ONE MORE WARNING: MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE READ HALF-BLOOD PRINCE**_

**Chapter 9 – The End Will Come**

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_And so they say, the end will come for us  
And so the world, slows down to let us off  
Just hang it up and let it go, accept it if I must  
But I don't believe, I don't believe that the end will come for us  
No I won't believe the end will come for us_

The End Will Come – Elton John

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"The important thing is to stay invisible. We don't want them to know we are here," Hermione explained as they stepped away from the group of trees on the edge of the Malfoy property.

"Who was that man?" Lucius asked as he walked by her side.

"Severus Snape. He use to be a Professor at Hogwarts. He has been a Deatheater almost as long as you, but he switched sides and worked as a spy for Dumbledore until…" her voice trailed off.

"Until what?" Lucius prompted.

"Until he betrayed us. But I believe there is more to the story than we know," she explained. "There's your manor."

Lucius stopped walking to look up at the massive mansion sitting ahead of them. "I must be really rich…" he breathed, turning to look at Hermione.

"Come on…" she said, starting forward again.

"I heard this Snape tell you I was dead," Lucius said.

"I don't understand what happened yet, but you must have made Voldemort very mad," Hermione said.

"Hermione, about the…." He stopped when she held her hand up.

"Not now. I need to focus on getting Harry and the others," she said.

Lucius sighed but didn't say anything else. He watched the young woman march on, her chin held high and her hands steady. He realized just how courageous and smart this girl was.

They quickly reached the backdoor Severus had spoke of. Hermione pulled her wand out and glanced around the side of the building. "I don't see anyone. Keep an eye open behind me while I open the lock," she whispered.

Lucius watched her blast the lock of the door. "I wonder where my wand is," he said softly.

"Come on," she said, tugging his sleeve. "Pro… Snape said he would have the guards distracted for a short amount of time, and your Polyjuice potion will only last an hour."

Hermione looked around the darkened room. She could make out the chairs at the servant's table and the door behind them that must lead to the servant's staircase.

"This way," she whispered, tugging open the door.

Lucius followed the young witch up the dark staircase. She stopped at the top door and turned the knob.

Stepping out into the hallway, Lucius was able to look around his home for the first time. The hallway had extravagant carpet running down the center of it. The walls were covered with portraits of people with the same white-blonde hair that he had. He stopped to look at the portrait of an older man. Could this man be his father?

Hermione paused and looked back at him. "Are you okay?"

Lucius turned to her. "Fine. Sorry. Which room are they in?"

She pointed to the door Severus had spoken of. "I believe this one."

Lucius looked at the door for a moment. "Lets go," he said, stepping forward.

Hermione reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait! You don't know what is in there for sure, we must be careful. I have the wand, I will go first, and then you follow me."

"Maybe I should go first," Lucius said, "There might be a Deatheater in there."

"If there is my wand will take him out long before your strength does," Hermione said, pointing her wand at the doorknob.

Once the door was unlocked, Hermione kicked it slightly with her foot and looked into the room. A fire was burning in the large fireplace against the wall she could see from her point-of-view. She looked around the edge of the door, but saw nobody.

Lucius stepped in behind her, looking around. "Come on….," he whispered, stepping further in the room.

"REMUS!" a female voice squealed. At the sound of the voice, Hermione threw the door the rest of the way open. Harry, Ginny and Ron were standing against the back wall. Their hands were tied to bars above their heads, but they looked otherwise unhurt.

"Are you guys alright?" Hermione asked, rushing towards them.

"Yes, thank Merlin you are here." Ginny said. "We were in the dungeon Hermione, but then one of the Deatheaters came down and got us, he moved us to this nice room and lit the fire. He actually apologized for chaining us back up. I think it was Snape, but Harry keeps saying that it wasn't."

Hermione turned to look at her best friend, whose eyes had darkened as soon as Ginny spoke. "Harry, I'll explain later, but it was Snape. He told us how to get you."

"YOU TRUSTED HIM?" Harry bellowed. "It was probably a trap. He's probably going to be in here any second to get you two also."

"Harry, please, I have never endangered us, believe in me, please?" Hermione pleaded.

Harry sighed. "Remus, do you believe Snape is helping us?"

Lucius looked at Harry, his eyebrows raised. "I…."

"Harry, not now. We need to get you guys out of here, we will talk about this later," Hermione said, raising her wand to blast off Ron's chains first.

"Merlin Hermione, I am so glad to see you," Ron said, rubbing his wrists.

She quickly blasted Harry's chains off, looking her friend in the eyes. "I would never do anything that would hurt any of my friends or the order, you know that Harry. You need to give Snape a chance, he is telling the truth."

Harry studied her eyes before reaching for her and drawing her close. "I am glad to see you Hermione."

"Can somebody let me out?" Ginny said, rattling the chains holding her arms up.

"Oh!" Hermione quickly blasted Ginny's chains off. "I'm sorry Gin."

Ginny quickly hugged her before turning and hugging Lucius. "Thank you for coming Remus."

Hermione couldn't help but grin at the expression on Lucius' face. "We need to go guys, we are running out of time."

"How do we get out?" Ron asked.

"I guess the same way we came in, the back stairs," Hermione replied, stepping out into the hallway.

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"Where are you going Goyle?" Severus hissed from behind his mask.

"For a walk, is that alright with you?" Goyle replied from around the side of the manor.

"We are supposed to be guarding the front, get back here!" Severus replied.

"I'll guard where I want to guard." Goyle mumbled, continuing around the building.

Severus sighed, he couldn't go after the man, it would make his involvement in their escape to obvious. He just hoped the witch had completed her task by now.

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"This way," Hermione said, leading everyone down the servant's staircase again. She had to get them at least back to the trees; Lucius only had another five minutes under the Polyjuice.

She paused at the bottom of the staircase. "Where are your wands?" she asked, looking at Ron.

"I don't know. They took them from us right away," Ron explained.

"This place is so big, who knows where they put them, if they are even here," Ginny said, her voice ringing with panic.

"We will have to worry about that later, we need to get out of here. Hermione is right, if Snape is helping us, we are on a time limit, and if he is setting us up then we need to move fast," Harry said, moving forward.

"Since you have no wands we need to hurry. The time Snape promised me is about up. Once we get outside, run as fast as you can towards the back clump of trees, that is where we came in at, so it's a safe place to Apparate from," Hermione explained.

"Ready?" Harry asked, looking over at Ginny.

She nodded slowly. "Let's go."

Ron reached over and opened the door, and the five of them took off at a sprint out the back door.

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Goyle heard the bang of the door hitting the back of the house before he saw the figures running across the lawn. "SEVERUS!" he bellowed as he pulled his wand out. "THEY ARE ESCAPING!"

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Severus Snape jumped up as soon as he heard Goyle yell. He grabbed his wand and took off around the side of the manor. He had to slow Goyle down.

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"THEY ARE ESCAPING!" Hermione heard someone yelling. She watched Harry pulling Ginny across the yard with Ron right behind them. She didn't see where Lucius was, but she assumed he was behind her or off to her side.

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Goyle couldn't hit Potter. The boy was running too fast, he was almost to the edge of the property line with the little redhead. He changed his aim; the mudblood was running slower than the rest of her friends and he had a clear shot.

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Severus rounded the corner in time to see Goyle swing his wand around on Hermione. He bit his tongue to keep from calling out a warning.

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"THEY ARE ESCAPING!" Lucius heard a man call out. He slowed down and looked behind him. A man dressed in black robes with a strange mask on was standing off to the side, his wand raised towards Harry.

Before he could call out a warning, the man turned his wand from Harry and aimed at Hermione.

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Severus knew he wasn't going to have a choice now. He had to interfere before Hermione was hit. He started forward but stopped again when he noticed the werewolf running straight towards the girl.

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Lucius ran, without worrying about were the man in dark robes was, or were the rest of the group was. He heard a voice call out "Avada…." But didn't here the rest as he lunged for Hermione, knocking her to the ground.

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Harry, Ginny and Ron all stopped at once, the "Avada" ringing out across the lawn. They turned just in time to see the shot of green light coming from a dark shadow and Remus jumping on Hermione, knocking her to the ground.

"Hermione!" Harry called out.

Ron reached out and grabbed Harry's arm, stopping him from running back out. "Remus got her in time. Come on!"

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Hermione didn't have time to hear the killing curse being called out as she was knocked to the ground. She looked up in shock to see Remus… no, Lucius…. Laying over her, a look of shock on his face as well.

When she saw the jet of green light shoot over their heads, she realized what had happened.

"Hermione!" she heard Harry calling from somewhere off in the distance.

"Come on!" Lucius said, scooping her up as he stood. He quickly turned for the trees once more.

"I'm okay, I can run," she gasped, trying to catch her air.

"We are almost there, I've got you." Lucius replied calmly.

"I am glad you insisted on coming with me," she said.

Lucius didn't reply as they reached the group of trees. He quickly set her down, grabbing her shoulders to steady her. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, we need to go now," she said, looking over at Harry. "Ready?"

Harry nodded before grabbing Ginny and disappearing with a pop. Ron quickly followed. Hermione turned to Lucius, "The Polyjuice potion will be wearing off any second." She stated before taking his hand and apparating them away from Malfoy manor.


	10. Falls On Me

_**As The World Falls Down**_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the characters in this story. I did not write any of the lyrics at the beginning of the chapter. This story is for entertainment purposes only.

_**MAJOR HALF-BLOOD PRINCE SPOILERS**_

**Summary: **Lucius Malfoy has lost everything. He only has the young witch who comes to his aid, but will happen when he remembers who he is, and more importantly, who she is?

**A/N:** What can I say to explain the delay in updates? Being in college sucks sometimes. I have been buried in schoolwork. Sorry this is sorta short, but I wanted to get this story updated. Thank you for the wonderful reviews!

**Chapter 10 – Falls On Me**

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_Your faith like the pain  
Draws me in again  
She washes all my wounds for me  
The darkness in my veins  
I never could explain  
And I wonder if you ever see  
Will you still believe?_

Am I that strong  
To carry on?  
I might change your life  
I might save my world  
Could you save me?

Falls On Me – Fuel

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Hermione let go of Lucius' hand as Harry scooped her up in his arms. "Are you okay?" he asked, rubbing his hands across her back.

"I'm fine Harry." Hermione replied, smiling at her best friend.

Harry nodded and let go of her, turning towards Lucius. "Remus, thank…" he trailed off as he noticed the older man was trembling.

Hermione turned to see why Harry had stopped speaking and quickly realized the potion was wearing off. Remus' short brown hair was growing longer and turning blonde. His warm, friendly face was morphing into Lucius' aristocratic and handsome face.

"Wha…. I….." Harry stuttered, turning back to Hermione, his face suddenly pale. "First Snape, then… then… Malfoy?"

"Harry, I…," she started to say.

"You what Hermione? Have you lost your mind? You trusted Snape enough to follow his plan and enter Malfoy Manor and you brought Lucius Malfoy with you?" Harry said, his voice high.

"Harry…," she tried again.

"What were you thinking? Were you even thinking at all Hermione? How could you trust this… this…" Harry waved his hand at Lucius, who stood silently. "Lucius Malfoy. Merlin Hermione, I thought you were smarter than this."

Hermione's chin began to tremble as she balled her hands into tight fists. "Smarter than this? Smarter than what Harry?" she asked, her own voice high. "I got you out of there, didn't I? Didn't _we_? I was thinking Harry. I was thinking clearly. I didn't just rush into something without thinking it through. You were not there when Snape showed up Harry. I believe him. It's a good thing I believed him to, isn't it? Or you three would still be hanging from a wall."

She paused for only a moment before looking over at Lucius. "And it's a damn good thing I brought Lucius with me, isn't it? If not I would be laying dead back at Malfoy Manor right now. Can't you get over your blind hate for a moment to understand anything Harry? He is not the same Lucius Malfoy you remember. He voluntary took Polyjuice potion to help me rescue you. He went into Malfoy Manor and came back out with us and he saved my life. I think that trusting him was the smartest thing I have done."

"She is right Harry. He did save her back there. If he knew who he was he wouldn't have tried, he would have been the one throwing the curse." Ron said from the corner.

Ginny stepped forward and took Harry's arm. "Look, they are right Harry. I don't know about Snape, but Malfoy must have lost his memory, and we need to try and trust him. It's late and we are all tired. Let's try and get some sleep and we will talk this over when we wake up."

Harry shook his head as he looked away from Hermione. Silently, he followed Ginny down the hallway to his room. Hermione jumped when she heard the door slam.

Ron smiled awkwardly at her. "Gin's right, after he gets some rest I'm sure he will calm down."

Hermione nodded and kissed his cheek before he slipped down the hallway towards his own room.

"Are you okay?" Lucius asked her, stepping up behind her.

Hermione turned around and smiled at him. "I'm fine. And thank you for earlier."

"You should get some sleep." Lucius replied.

"You need to sleep also. We will go into Diagon Alley later today and get you some fresh clothes. I think I can keep a glamour up for awhile so you will be safe." Hermione replied.

Lucius nodded. "For now I will sleep out here," he said, pointing to the couch.

Hermione sighed. "You should stay in my room. It would be best with the way Harry feels. I'll sleep out here."

"I…" Lucius started to protest.

"Honestly, it would be for the best. Go get some sleep," she replied, sitting down on the small couch.

Lucius nodded but didn't move from his spot. "Hermione, I don't know what to say to you. I don't know if any words…"

"I don't want to talk about it." Hermione stated, her voice suddenly cold.

"I need…" Lucius tried to say.

"Please." This time her voice was just a whisper. "Go to sleep."

Lucius looked down at the small woman and nodded before leaving her alone in the living room.

Hermione sank back on the couch and kicked off her shoes. She let the silent tears roll down her cheeks as she drew the blanket up to her chin.

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Lucius could hear her crying. He knew she was trying to stay quiet, but the muffled sounds were seeping in through the walls. He turned to go back to her but stopped with his hand on the doorknob.

He was the one that raped her, how could he also be the one to offer her comfort? He couldn't offer her comfort. He would only be offering her more pain. Sighing, he turned toward the bed and sat down, his own eyes burning.

How could he have done the evil things she told him about? How could he have raped an innocent woman? She was so young and smart and gorgeous, why would he have ever raped her?

His body was exhausted but his mind wouldn't give him a chance to fall asleep. He laid on the bed listening to the muffled sobs and the echoes in his mind.

"_Because I am the one who saved you the night Lucius Malfoy raped you!"_

"_Same dream again…I keep reliving it…Harry it's awful. I keep feeling him grab me, I feel him rape me all over again."_

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Hermione woke several hours later to find Ginny standing above her. "Hey sleepyhead."

She slowly sat up, looking at her redhead friend. "What time is it?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Almost five." Ginny replied.

"Already?" Hermione asked, jumping up. "Where is everyone else?"

"Well, Ron went back to the Burrow to fill everyone in on what happened. Remus showed up to let us know that Tonks is fine; they have a healthy baby boy now. Harry left with him to meet with Moody." Ginny answered.

"Where is Lucius?" Hermione asked.

"He hasn't come out of your room yet." Ginny replied. "Harry didn't want to leave us here with him, but once Remus heard about Lucius saving you last night he told Harry that we would be fine."

Hermione sighed. "I'm going to go take a shower and then I'll wake him up."

"I will make some soup and tea." Ginny replied.

Hermione smiled as the other girl bounced into the kitchen. She was just like Molly in so many ways.

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Hermione inspected her face in the mirror. She felt much better after showering and putting on fresh clothes. There was a cut on her cheek that stung and she briefly wondered if she got it when Lucius knocked her to the ground.

Pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail she left the bathroom and heading towards her room to wake him up.

She knocked on the door softly. "Lucius?" she said. Waiting a moment she knocked again. "Lucius, are you up?"

When there was still no answer, Hermione slowly opened the door. "Lucius?" she said gently.

He was still sleeping, spread out on her bed above the covers. His pants and shoes were still on, but he had taken his shirt off and tossed it over her chair. Hermione felt her breath catch as she noticed his bare chest.

"Lucius," she said again as she walked over to the bed. She reached down and gently touched his naked shoulder. "Wake up."

"Hmmm…" he mumbled, but didn't open his eyes.

"Wake up Lucius. Come get something to eat," she repeated, shaking his shoulder again.

Lucius slowly opened his eyes, looking up at Hermione. Her wet curls were pulled back from her face and he could see the angry cut on her cheek.

"Are you awake?" she asked him, not noticing her hand was still resting on his shoulder.

Lucius nodded. He slowly sat up, feeling her hand slid off his shoulder as he did so. She was still standing in front of him and Lucius found himself raising his hand up to her face slowly. He noticed she was watching his hand closely, but she didn't flinch when he touched her this time, tracing his finger down her cut as he looked in her sad, brown eyes.

Hermione felt him touch her cheek, felt his finger burning her as it traced the cut. She looked into his eyes as a torrent of emotions flooded her at once. Fear, sadness and a strange feeling she couldn't name.

Silently, she turned away from him and left the room so quickly that his hand was still hanging in mid-air as the door shut.


End file.
